Mascardi 7 – If it only ends 2-0, Spezia has him to thank. At least 6-7 saves, perhaps not extraordinarily complicated, but crucial to conceding fewer goals. It’s a continuous siege, at least he does it.
Matthew 5 – When Modena starts it’s hard to keep up with them. The attackers come from all sides and Spezia doesn’t know how to contain them. He tries to keep the unit upright, then collapses towards the end on Gliozzi’s goal. Where he seemed to have suffered an obvious foul.
Wisniewski 5,5 – He too was often caught in the middle by the attacking Modena and took the measure of the opponent’s attack in the second half, after having danced for a while. But it’s not enough.
Jack 5 – Someone groans at the third or fourth throw of his first half, but this boy is Spezia’s first playmaker and has to deal with a midfield that hides instead of helping him manage the ball. Then Massolin gravitates from his area, irrepressible: he does what he can until he is expelled. Two yellow fouls, little to say.
Candela 5,5 – Zampano looks like a Frecciarossa when he sets off and this should make you think. He has a good start with a nice cross at the start of the match and a pass for Vlahovic, but then little else. Inconsistent.
Kouda 5 – For the umpteenth time impalpable, null, completely extraneous to the game. His constant raising of his arms to call for balls that are impossible to receive doesn’t even make you smile anymore, given that he constantly hides behind the man. Not a flicker, not a play. Sometimes it seems like someone who passes there by chance. (From 72′ Hristov 6 – Inside after Jack’s red, he holds up in the final and is not to blame at 2-0).
Big 5 – A bad performance for the Hungarian, complicated after just five minutes. A lopsided deflection gives Modena the first goal, then in the middle he struggles a lot when asked to play the ball. He misses a bloody one on which Santoro hits the post, then takes too little responsibility. So Spezia always has to bypass the midfield and doesn’t go anywhere. (From 61′ Candlesticks 6 – The impact is proactive, with a couple of good crosses. At least try to change the trend).
Bandinelli 6 – Of the midfielders he is the only one who tries to do something. He defends alone, he attacks alone, he starts again alone. The spirit is that of a true captain, that of his last matches. But he often preaches in the desert, through no fault of his own. Nice ball for Vlahovic, wasted by the Serbian.
Beruatto 5,5 – It’s a paradox, because he pushes more from third than from fifth. What is certain is that in front of him he has a horse like Beyuku, athletically monstrous, and who on his wing goes away whenever he wants. This time no decisive cross, no stride. (From 86′ Esposito sv – Welcome back. It was really needed.)
Vlahovic 5 – He has Spezia’s biggest chance of the first half and wastes it by missing the half. Always behind his opponents, always ahead. It doesn’t give depth but it doesn’t give substance to the department either. (From 72′ Di Serio 5.5 – You never see it.)
Artistic 5.5 – The spirit isn’t even evil. Unlucky on Modena’s goal, put offside by Nagy’s deflection, he heads twice – a house specialty – but fails to add strength. Running, running, fighting, fighting too, but Spezia can’t hold a ball in front. (From 86′ Soleri sv).
Coach: Donadoni 5 – Conceding a goal like this after five minutes changes the game for anyone, but Spezia proves to be clearly inferior to a Modena team who should have won by an even wider margin, also given the three posts taken and the many saves from Mascardi. There is no game, the midfield is completely non-existent and this time a random corner or header doesn’t come to the rescue to save face. Perhaps these are not the games to win, but today the whole difference emerged between those who are well built and those who aren’t.
